Security systems are often installed within and around buildings such as commercial, residential, or governmental buildings. Examples of these buildings include offices, hospitals, warehouses, schools or universities, shopping malls, government offices, and casinos. The security systems typically include components such as system controllers, access control systems, surveillance cameras, image analytics systems, and/or network video recorders (NVRs), to list a few examples.
Access control systems in buildings, for example, are principally concerned with physical security and the selective restriction of or notification of access to a place or other resource. Historically, the main components of the access control systems were access control readers and possibly door controllers. The access control readers were often installed to control access to restricted areas, such as buildings or areas of the buildings. Typically, individuals would interact with the access control readers by swiping keycards or bringing contactless smart cards within range (approximately 2-3 inches or 5 centimeters) of the reader. The access control readers read the credential information of the keycards, validated the information, and determined if the individuals were authorized to access the restricted areas. If the individuals were authorized, then the access control readers might signal doors to be unlocked or not generate alarms, for example.
More recently, frictionless access control systems are being proposed and designed. These systems typically rely on individuals carrying beacon devices that can broadcast credentials, such as dedicated fob devices or personal mobile computing devices such as tablet or smart phone computing devices. The access control systems will then monitor and track the individuals as they move through the buildings and automatically open doors when approached, assuming that the individuals are authorized to pass through those doors.